By Krystal Smalley
ksmalley@wbcowqel.com
A citizen’s appearance at Tuesday night’s Galion City Council meeting was enough to get the ball rolling again on a nuisance property.
South Market Street resident Betty Enderle took the council members and city officials to task for nothing being done on an adjacent property after years of complaints. Enderle referenced debris and a temporary tent-like structure on the property, along with a dump truck and numerous vehicles.
“I’m really tired of complaining,” said Enderle.
She noted that she spoke to councilwoman Susan Bean and city building inspector Bob Johnston about the issue, but saw little response.
“I’ve been complaining for five years. It just gets worse,” Enderle said. “No one has come. No one has helped. Why do we have a property like that in the city?”
Johnston stated he has taken the property owners to court once before, but had very little to show for it.
“They did clean up to some extent, they put that tent up that hid some of their stuff. It’s time to go back again,” Johnston said. “I can write letters all day until I’m blue in the face and if they don’t cooperate, the only other option I have is to take them to court.”
Johnston assured Enderle he would take a look at the property the next morning. Health Commissioner Trish Factor said her department would work alongside Johnston’s to rectify the matter.
Council dealt with a long list of legislation during the meeting that ranged from staffing and grants to bonds and purchase agreements.
Safety-Service Director Nicole Ward was authorized to apply for a U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Community Oriented Policing Services Hiring Program grant. The grant will help hire a school resource officer at 75-percent funding for a three-year period.
“It’s not just another officer, it’s in order to fund that position,” explained Mayor Tom O’Leary. He noted that the position had been supplied previously through city funds, but the grant would allow the police department to remain fully staffed.
Council also approved an ordinance to amend the 2017 Financial Recovery Plan to incorporate the subsequent debt into the December recovery fund. The debt included preparation for bonds to pay for numerous projects, including upgrading Portland Way North, improving the city’s sanitary sewer system along Ohio 61, and financing two ambulances and a mower. Another note will deal with improving the public infrastructure in the Brandt Road area, a project that O’Leary said was completed in advance of Sleep Inn opening. That bond will be reimbursed through
“This a project we will be reimbursed by the TIF payments for that borrowing on it,” explained Auditor Brian Treisch before commenting on the number of debt ordinances before council. “We did not spring these on council tonight. This has been part of either the initial budget planning for the year all this was in there. It was also discussed in committee.”
A resolution to enter into a purchase agreement for acreage in Richland County was also approved. That acreage, roughly 22.973 acres owned by Walnut Grain Farms, LLC of Shelby, runs along the east side of the Galion Municipal Airport at Ohio 309. The purchase agreement is for $181,608 for future airport expansion. The Federal Aviation Administration has agreed to pay 90 percent of the purchase cost, while the remaining funds will be paid for by a 5-percent state matching grant.